Preparation of Twinning Fiche for strengthening of the Veterinary Services and food Safety Capacities of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture

The overall objective is to strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of Agriculture in the field of veterinary public health, in order to protect the health of the Lebanese consumers and secure the Lebanese animal production and food industry. The specific objectives: Enhance capacities of the Veterinary Services of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture Strengthen food safety and quality systems for products of animal origin Activities: Reviewing/updating/consolidating the veterinary regulations Reorganizing the Veterinary bodies and their relations Developing the necessary manuals/guidelines/standards/operating procedures for institutional and technical processes related to the missions of the Veterinary Services; Developing a risk-based approach for the inspection at import/export and within the national territory Designing and implementing national programs in animal Health and in Food Safety in the Lebanese territory and at borders Strengthening capacities of relevant food control and animal health laboratories; Capacity building of the Veterinary Services, the LARI staff and the private Veterinarians to conduct the upgraded veterinary activities. The outputs: Veterinary regulations that are harmonized with EU regulations, prepared/validated and enforced Institutional and operational capacities of the Veterinary Services upgraded Capacities of the MoA Veterinary Services and other concerned staff developed.